4x4x8 cord of wood

[kjahnz]

I was hoping someone had an estimate for the weight of a cord of wood. Generally I get elm (standing dead) maple, some crappy box elder and a little oak and ash. very mixed bag, but free... The reason I am wondering what a cord of wood weighs, is that I am planning to build some racks, so that I can move my split wood with my brothers skid loader. Right now we figure 1800 to 2500 lbs. we might need counter weight for anything over 2200lbs. any ideas? pics of your portable log racks would be nice to see, for ideas... thanks

 

[bigbarf48]

This calculator will give green weight. A cord of green elm weighs 5000 exactly, I doubt if it would loose over 50% if standing dead but I could be wrong

http://www.csgnetwork.com/logweight.html

 

[kjahnz]

thanks bigbarf48, that helps a lot...

 

[Woody Stover]

(broken link removed to http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/heating_cooling/firewood.html)

 

[kjahnz]

thanks, woody stover. that chart is also very helpful. 12 percent moisture wood weighs considerably less than green. Both charts will help me decide what size to build my log racks.

 

[fabsroman]

Here is one more. A list sorted by btu content and another sorted alphabetically by species, both which contain the weight of a cord. Been meaning to write the authors of that chart to determine if those weights are of green or seasoned wood because the weight looks rather low for green.

(broken link removed to http://www.chimneysweeponline.com/howood.htm)

 

[kjahnz]

thanks fabsroman, another link. the neat thing is, I will easily find these links in one thread. When it comes time to order steel tubing and expanded metal (have to weigh that also) all this info is a few clicks away.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I was hoping someone had an estimate for the weight of a cord of wood. Generally I get elm (standing dead) maple, some crappy box elder and a little oak and ash. very mixed bag, but free... The reason I am wondering what a cord of wood weighs, is that I am planning to build some racks, so that I can move my split wood with my brothers skid loader. Right now we figure 1800 to 2500 lbs. we might need counter weight for anything over 2200lbs. any ideas? pics of your portable log racks would be nice to see, for ideas... thanks

Good for you kjahnz and welcome to the forum.

We've burned lots of dead elm and usually wait until all or most of the bark has fallen off before cutting. The top half of the tree is then dry enough to burn right away but that bottom half will still hold plenty of moisture. The wood will also be a lot lighter this way because green elm is heavy stuff with lots of moisture. It is good to give all that wood a year to dry except for the oak which needs longer. That stuff just does not give up its moisture very fast at all.

 

[lukem]

I was hoping someone had an estimate for the weight of a cord of wood. Generally I get elm (standing dead) maple, some crappy box elder and a little oak and ash. very mixed bag, but free... The reason I am wondering what a cord of wood weighs, is that I am planning to build some racks, so that I can move my split wood with my brothers skid loader. Right now we figure 1800 to 2500 lbs. we might need counter weight for anything over 2200lbs. any ideas? pics of your portable log racks would be nice to see, for ideas... thanks

You're going to easily be in the 3K lb neighborhood. Either plan on ballast or make the racks smaller.